Propulsion of vessels.



G. S. EDLIN. PROPULSION 0P VESSELS.

APPLICATION rum) 1133.25, 1914.

1,1 17,351. Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/fneasea G5. EoI/m 6F 5 //1 van/0K 4 y Ham e ya 2:5

G. S. EDLIN.

PROPULSION 0F VESSELS. APPLICATION mum rnmzs, 1914.

1,117,351 Patented Nov.17,191

if 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- lww UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE STANLEY EDLIN, OF MAKINO, NEAR PALMERSTON NORTH, NEW ZEALAND.

PROPULSION or VESSELS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE STANLEY EDLIN, a citizen of the Dominion of New Zealand, and residing at Makino, near PalmerstonNorth, in the Provincial District of Wellington, in the Dominion of New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Propulsion of Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the propulsion of boats and the like by the reaction of an exploded charge of gas operating directly upon the water.

In my invention there are preferably two 5 explosion chambers, the explosions therein being timed one to succeed the other. A pipeleads from the forward end of the vessel to the stern thereof, and the explosion operating upon water in the pipe effects the propulsion of the vessel. There may be entirely independent pipes for each explosion chamber or-single inlet and outlet pipes may have branches connecting with the explosion chambers.

My improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figures 1 to 3 show ap aratus in which there is a single explosion c amber and Figs. 4 to 7 apparatus in which there are two of such chambers. Fig. 1, is a side elevation. Fig. 2, a plan. Fig. 3, a sectional elevation on A-A Fig. 2. .Fig. 4, is a cross sectional elevation. Fig. 5 a plan, Fig. 6, apart sectional plan, and Fig. 7, a part side sectional elevation showing a valve.

For convenience of description I will first describe my invention as employin only one combustion chamber, as shown in I igs. 1 to 3"inclusive, the interaction of two combustion chambers will be described later.

'A. pipe, 1, extending from the bow to the stem of the vessel is open to the water at both ends and has the vertical combustion chamber, 2, extending approximately at right angles. An induction valve, 3, giving communication with a port, 4, leading to a carbureter, 5, is located in a dome 6, at the head of the combustion chamber,'opens into the dome, and is returned upon its seat, 7, by a spiral spring, 8, bearing between the head, 9, of the valve spindle, 10, and the bridge, 11. A sparking plug, 12, projects into the dome, 6, and is connected by the circuit wire, 13, with a high tension coil, 14 (shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1) of the usual type whereby when an electrical cir-- Specification of Letters Patent.

.Applicatlon filed February 25, 1914.. Serial No. 820,897.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

cuit is completed, a spark is producedby which explosive gas within the combustion chamber is exploded.

A valve, 15, upon a rocking shaft, 16, in the pipe, 1, and at the bottom of the exploslon chamber, is designed before the explosion takes place to occupy the position shown in full lines Fig. 3, and after the explosion, the position shown in dotted lines thereby shutting ofl" the pipe, 1, forward of the explosive chamber. A scavenger port, 17, in pipe, 1, is located as shown in the drawing immediately below the valve.

A timing valve for automatically closing the electrical circuit for firing the explosive charge is located where shown in Fig. 3, and consists of a cylinder, 19, communicating with the combustion chamber by a portway, 20, and having a valve, 21, closing upon valve seat, 22. The valve rod, 23, projects through a cover, 24, and is adapted to contact with a tappet, 25, comprised of a screw, 26, adjustable in the insulated bracket, 27.

One terminal wire, 28, from an electrical battery which induces the high tension current in the coil, 14, referred to) is connected to the cylinder, 19, while the opposing wire, 29, is in electrical connection with the tappet, 25. A screw pin, 30, projects through a screw plug, 31, into the bottom of cylinder, 19, and is used to regulate the fall of valve, 21.

In operation the combustion chamber, 2, is located so that the water will rise therein to the line indicated in Fi 3, which is the level-of the water outside t e vessel.

In starting a charge of vapor from the carbureter is pumped into the explosion chamber by a gas pump, connected to pipe, 32, and the rod of the timing valve, 21, lifted by hand until electrical contact is made and a spark produced which explodes the vapor. As the valve, 15, is not balanced upon the rocking shaft, but is of larger area upon one side than on the other, the impulse of water due to the explosion causes the valve to tilt into the position shown in dotted lines, and to close the forward end of pipe 1 as shown in Fig. 3. The angle movement of the valve is limited by contact between the valve and inner wall of the pipe. Water is thus expelled throu h the pipe at the stern of the vessel and t e reaction effects the propulsion. The momentum of the water through the pipe draws the burnt gases after it producing a partial vacuum in the explosion The valve 15, is temporarily retained in,

each of the positions shown in dotted and full lines, Fig. 3, by an arm, 33, upon the valve spindle, 16, which engages the end of one or other of the stop levers, 34 and 35, pivoted upon brackets extending from the pipe, and operated upon respectively by the compression springs, 36 and 37. The tilting of the valve is aided by the tension spring, 38, connected to the end of the lever.

33, and operated to assist the movement of the valve into either of the positions shown in Fig. 3. The stop lever, 35, engages the -end of the arm, 33, and temporarily holds the arm with the valve in the position shown in full lines until the compression of the explosive charge has been completed, and the explosion effected, when the pressure is suihcient to release the arm from the stop lever- Stop lever, 34, engages the arm,

33, and temporarily holds it with the valve in the position shown in dotted lines, until the partial vacuum has been produced in the explosion chamber as above described, which vacuum, acting upon the valve, causes it'to move into the position shown in full lines.

When the valve,-15, is in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 3, water flows into passes through stufiing box, 54, is tempothe pipe through the opening, 17 (which 1 term a scavenging, port) expelling any burnt gases which may remain in the pipe and assisting to fill the pipe with water in anticipation of the succeeding explosion.

Water flowing up into the explosion chamber compresses the vapor in the dome to a degree dependent upon the speed of the vessel; the water also forces a little vapor through the port, 20, and passes'behind it into the timing cylinder, 19, closing the valve, 21, and causing the upper end of rod 23 to contact with the tappet screw, 25, when an electrical circuit is established causing a spark at the sparking plug located within the explosion chamber and firing the charge therein.

A valve, 39, located in the port, 20, en-

ables the opening thereof to be adjusted and the rapidity of closing of the valve to be regulated, and the charge to be exploded at the moment when the maximum-degree of compression has been reached.

The valve, 21, is away from its seat on the induction stroke, and allows a certainamount of air to be drawn into the explosion chamber.

7 To provide for reversing the direction of propulsion of the boat, the stop lever, 35, after it has engaged arm, 33, may be engaged with the-end ot a locking lever, 40.

The valve is then maintained in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 3, and the explosions in the chamber, 2, force water through the pipe out at the forward end of a the vessel.

The compression of the explosive charge is efl'ected by the recoil of the water.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive:

The explosion chambers, 41 and 42, are arranged one upon each side of the pipe, 43,

which is provided with the rocking valve,

44, having greater area upon one side of its spindle, 45, than upon the other, and adapted to assume the position, shown in full lines, relatively to the passage, 46, leading to the explosion chamber, 41, when an explosive charge is being compressed therein by water flowing in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 6, from the stem of the vessel.

.introduced into explosion chamber, 42,

through a pipe, 44', leading from a carbureter 45 The pipe 44 also leads the explosive charge to chamber, 41. Induction valves, similar to that referred to as 3 in the description of Fig. 3, are employed in the domes, 46 and 47, upon the upper ends of the respective explosion chambers. The sparking is efi'ected as previously described through sparking plugs, 48 and 49. An arm, 50, upon valve spindle, 45', which rarily engaged at each end of its vibration by the respective stop levers, 51 and 52; the action being similar to that previously described. A scavenging valve, 53, located in pipe, 43, automatically opens after each explosion for the passage of water for clearing purposes. The parts are disposed and arranged so that while a charge is being introduced and compressed in one explosionchamber, an explosion and expulsion of water is taking place in the other chamber.

What 1 do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. 1n apparatus of the nature indicated in combination, a pipe leading from the stem to the stern of a vessel, an explosion chamber communicating therewith, an induction valve, and means for introducing an explosive charge of gas into said chamber, and firing the same, and an automatically acting valve of greater area upon one side of its spindle than upon the other, located in the pipe and adapted to connect the forward end thereoil. with the explosion chamber during the compression of the charge and to connect .the rear end with.

said chamber upon the explosion.

2. In apparatus of the nature indicated in combination a pipe leading from the stem to the stern of a vessel, an explosion chamber communicating therewith, an induction valve and means for introducing an explosive charge of gas into said chamber and firing the same, and an automatically acting valve of greater area upon one side of its spindle than upon the other, located in the pipe and adapted to connect the forward end thereof with the explosion chamber during the compression of the charge and to connect the rear end with said chamber upon the explosion, and a scavenging valve located in the pipe below said valve.

3. In apparatus of the nature indicated the combination of a pipe leading from the 1 stem to the stern of a vessel, an explosion chamber thereon, a rocking valve in the I pipe, a spindle for the valve, an arm thereon, and pivoted stop levers adapted to engage the end of said arm substantially as and for the purpose specified and illustrated.

4:- In apparatus of the nature indicated in combination a pipe leading from the stem to the stern of a vessel, an explosion chamber thereon, a rocking valve in the pipe, a spindle for the valve, an arm thereon, pivoted stop levers adapted to engage the end of said arm, and a locking lever for one of said stop levers, substantially as and for the purpose specified and illustrated.

5. In apparatus of the nature indicated in combination a pipe leading from the stem to the stern of a vessel, an explosion chamber thereon, means for introducing an explosive charge to said chamber, a sparking plug, electrical means for producing a spark therefrom, and timing apparatus comprising a cylinder, a valve seated in said cylinder, a rod of the valve, an electrical circuit closed by said rod, a portway leading from said chamber to the cylinder below the valve therein, and means for regulating the opening of said portway, substantially as herein set forth and illustrated.

6. In apparatus of the nature indicated, two explosion chambers, a pipe leading from the stem to the stern of a vessel, ports giving communication between said chambers and said pipe, an automatically rocking valve located in the pipe, means for introducing an explosive charge to each chamber alternately, and means for firing the same, substantially as specified and illustrated.

7 In combination a pipe leading from the stem to the stern of a vessel, two explosion chambers communicating with said pipe, with means for introducing and firing an explosive charge in each of said chambers, alternately, and an automatically rocking valve in the pipe adapted to serve both explosion chambers, substantially as herein specified and illustrated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

GEQRG-E STANLEY EDLIN.

WVitnesses:

EDNA J. COLLEY, Hnnnm H. RAYwARn. 

